gliderbee
9-Feb-2012, 09:22
I recently developed my first 8x10 Fuji Provia 100F with this system, as the film was expired and I wanted to test if it was still ok, and it seems it is (http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=86767).
What I did was mixing 250ml of each solution and dumping it after use, since I had only one sheet to develop. I wanted to know though if I could have reused the solution. The question has been asked several times (one thread resurfaced here very recently) and the answers are not very conclusive and unisono, to say the least, so I asked Tetanal themselves, and here's a (IMO) very clear answer:
*********************Answer from Tetanal ********************
No, I wouldn't recommend to mix 1 liter and pour back the used solution into the bottles with working solution, for one reason: If by a misfortune the used mixture is contaminated then the total 1 liter is polluted.
Much better works your procedure to use 250 ml of each solution to develop a sheet film of 8"x10". You ask, if you could reuse the working solution.
Yes, you can reuse it. Let me explain.
In 1 liter of working solutions you can develop maximal 960 sq. inch of slide film, that means in 250 ml you can develop 240 sq. inch film. Your Fuji Provia 8"x10" is of 80 sq. inch surface area. Therefore you can use your 250 ml mix three times.
At your first processing cycle you have applied the processing times recommended in the instruction sheet.
At second processing cycle you have to increase the processing times a little bit, because the working soltions are weakened.
Before we are estimating the increasement of the processing times, let me explain a little bit of the Tetenal E6 3-bath process.
- The first developer (FD) is in effect a black & white developer, therefore you have to increase the FD time for used first developers.
- The colour developer is a very powerfull (high alcalinic) developer, which is strong enough for the second and third processing cycle and does not need increased processing times. Admittedly increased times are not harmfull to the quality of the processed slide.
- Finally the bleachfix (BX). The BX becomes weakened and therefore the processing times must be prolongated. The function of the BX is to bleach all the silver (which is produced during first and colour development) and then to fix all the silver. That means, when the BX has done his duty, no further alteration will occur to the colour slide. For example, you can treat a processed slide with fresh BX for 10 or 20 minutes and you will not detect a change. I would recommend to increase the BX by 1 minute after each cycle.
- For the stabilizer use always the same time.
Now to the first developer. We recommend to increase the FD time by 15 seconds for the second cycle additionally 15 seconds by the third cycle.
Good luck with E6 3-bath in the future!
******************************************
Regards,
Stefan.
What I did was mixing 250ml of each solution and dumping it after use, since I had only one sheet to develop. I wanted to know though if I could have reused the solution. The question has been asked several times (one thread resurfaced here very recently) and the answers are not very conclusive and unisono, to say the least, so I asked Tetanal themselves, and here's a (IMO) very clear answer:
*********************Answer from Tetanal ********************
No, I wouldn't recommend to mix 1 liter and pour back the used solution into the bottles with working solution, for one reason: If by a misfortune the used mixture is contaminated then the total 1 liter is polluted.
Much better works your procedure to use 250 ml of each solution to develop a sheet film of 8"x10". You ask, if you could reuse the working solution.
Yes, you can reuse it. Let me explain.
In 1 liter of working solutions you can develop maximal 960 sq. inch of slide film, that means in 250 ml you can develop 240 sq. inch film. Your Fuji Provia 8"x10" is of 80 sq. inch surface area. Therefore you can use your 250 ml mix three times.
At your first processing cycle you have applied the processing times recommended in the instruction sheet.
At second processing cycle you have to increase the processing times a little bit, because the working soltions are weakened.
Before we are estimating the increasement of the processing times, let me explain a little bit of the Tetenal E6 3-bath process.
- The first developer (FD) is in effect a black & white developer, therefore you have to increase the FD time for used first developers.
- The colour developer is a very powerfull (high alcalinic) developer, which is strong enough for the second and third processing cycle and does not need increased processing times. Admittedly increased times are not harmfull to the quality of the processed slide.
- Finally the bleachfix (BX). The BX becomes weakened and therefore the processing times must be prolongated. The function of the BX is to bleach all the silver (which is produced during first and colour development) and then to fix all the silver. That means, when the BX has done his duty, no further alteration will occur to the colour slide. For example, you can treat a processed slide with fresh BX for 10 or 20 minutes and you will not detect a change. I would recommend to increase the BX by 1 minute after each cycle.
- For the stabilizer use always the same time.
Now to the first developer. We recommend to increase the FD time by 15 seconds for the second cycle additionally 15 seconds by the third cycle.
Good luck with E6 3-bath in the future!
******************************************
Regards,
Stefan.